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According to the famous market research and consulting firm Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company, acquiring a new customer costs 6 or 7 times more than retaining a customer who has already been acquired at least once. Therefore, it is not difficult to understand that the secret to an effective and inexpensive marketing strategy lies in retaining people who have purchased at least once .
It is worth adding that implicit graphic supports, such as logos, photographs, flyers, graphic germany email list identity and website or blog style , are also a factor of unity among community members. By the way, check out the logo trends for 2019 here .
It is in this context that Community Marketing emerges , a tentacle of digital marketing that deals with managing the brand's relationship with existing customers.
But what are these communities?
These are interactive groups in which consumers, followers and enthusiasts of a specific topic, product or service participate.
The degree of involvement and passion these individuals have for a brand varies from person to person. However, since these consumers have taken the time to join the community, it is safe to say that they all feel at least a slight appreciation for the topic, service or product.
Some brands have invested in building communities centered around their products and services , but this is not always enough to build loyalty and please a group of people.
Community Marketing is a strategy that works in two parallels: offering and promoting a creative space for building connections between individuals with common interests , while identifying the needs of this target audience in order to create content that suggests efficient solutions for everyone involved.
Community Marketing: Examples of Successful Brands
What is a community? Etymologically, the word “community” comes from the Latin “communitāte” and encompasses the idea of something common, shared. Although it is often used in the sense of grouping, a community is much more than a group of people: it is a group of interests .
In the past, this concept designated a group of individuals who lived geographically close together, sharing practices and customs, that is, it was a group of people who had several points of similarity. The virtual world has created other tools.
Companies with a digital presence now pay close attention to communities and groups that are present in a variety of online media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, discussion forums, blogs , among others.
But it is not enough to simply follow what people say about the brand, as it is necessary to create virtual spaces with relevant and free content to identify opportunities for growth and development, while offering support through direct and transparent dialogue with these people.
For example, Nike’s Facebook page offers fast technical support, engaging photos and interactive videos. In return, the brand gains access to followers’ thoughts, concerns and preferences when they comment on posts.
Starbucks has entered Community Marketing in a bolder way than Nike : the largest coffee shop chain in the world created the page ideas.starbucks.com , whose purpose is precisely to listen to customers' ideas and, if feasible, implement them in the future.
